Baby's health determines diseases in adults: Expert

Tiruchirapalli, Jul 28 (UNI) Professor of Pediatrics and Gastroenterology at the Madras Medical College in Chennai Dr B Bhaskar Raju said diseases among adults was the outcome of under-nutrition and malnutrition during antenatal and post-natal care.

Addressing the press here yesterday, Dr Raju said introduction of oral dehydration solutions (ORS), which replaced the administration of antibiotics to infants and children, was a new concept in diarrhoea management.

It was found that oral fluids of a specified composition when administered in sufficient quantities could prevent the onset of dehydration and help the child recover keeping away costly antibiotics.

To avoid the side-effects of ORS on children, the low osmolar ORS has been specifically designed for babies with the same medicinal properties. Deaths due to diarrhoea had come down from five million in the 80s' to the present one million due to propagation of low Osmolar ORS.

Referring to food for the newly born, he said many were born with low birth weight which is attributed to deficient nourishment during pregnancy.

The size of the organs might be smaller due to low birth weight but the kidney in such case posed a challenge leading to hypertension when the child reaches teens.

Likewise, India is deemed to be a diabetic centre since children do not grow proportionately.

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